Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for forming and cooling an initially hot and therefore flowable melted cheese.
Description of Related Art
The production of processed cheese, more particularly in slice form, is the subject matter of several devices. Typically a mass of processed cheese is initially formed into a type of processed-cheese band. The thermal requirements in particular pose a great challenge in the forming and further processing of the processed cheese since the processed cheese must initially have a certain high temperature in order to be moldable. During the further processing, relatively rapid cooling must then be carried out in order for the processed cheese to retain its shape.
DE 10 2008 061 330 A1 discloses a method for cutting a cheese mass into pieces of a specifiable length. A cheese band is fed by way of a conveyor belt to a cutting device. Next, the cheese band is cut into longitudinal strips. The longitudinal strips are subsequently cut into pieces using a transverse-cutting means. Although processed-cheese slices can be produced in a robust process in this manner, irregularly shaped processed-cheese slices cannot be produced without waste.
WO 2007/122311 shows a method for producing processed-cheese slices. According thereto, a processed-cheese mass is applied directly onto a shaping roller, wherein the processed-cheese mass fills molding recesses on the shaping roller. Concurrently therewith, the shaping roller rotates and feeds the slice-shaped cheese portions disposed in the molding recesses to a conveyor unit for further processing. Cooling means are disposed coaxially around the shaping roller, each of which faces only one surface side of the cheese slices. The arrangement shown for implementing the method has deficiencies with respect to the reliable filling of the molding recess, however. The rotational motion during the cooling process also disadvantageously affects the shaping. Furthermore, the calibration of the thermal conditions within the device is problematic since the cooling means are spaced apart from the cheese slices. Overall, a non-uniform surface appearance can result. Due to the relatively short cooling length on the shaping roller, the shaping roller must move slowly. A low production rate results.
Proceeding therefrom, the problem addressed by the present invention is that of providing an improved method or an improved device for forming and cooling an initially hot and therefore flowable melted cheese. The deficiencies that were addressed should be eliminated if possible.